Puntland: Bosaso Used as a Transit Hub for Mercenaries Sent to Sudan Conflict

A joint investigation by The Guardian and the Colombian media outlet La Silla Vacía has revealed that a military base operated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the city of Bosaso, in the Bari region, is being used as a transit point for Colombian mercenaries deployed to the war in Sudan.

One of the Colombian mercenaries, whose name was withheld for security reasons, stated that his journey began in Bogotá, Colombia, where he signed a contract for $2,600 per month. He was then flown to Ethiopia and informed that the next step was travel to a UAE base located in Bosaso, before being transferred to Nyala, Sudan.

The UAE has been accused of financing and supplying weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who are fighting the Sudanese government forces in the ongoing conflict, allegations that Abu Dhabi has consistently denied.

The report indicates that Bosaso has become a strategic location for the UAE’s military operations in the region, raising serious questions about Somalia’s role in the Sudanese conflict and the use of its territory for opaque military purposes.

The Bosaso base, built by the UAE several years ago, was initially stated to be for training Puntland’s maritime police forces. However, it has been frequently reported that the base has become a military facility operated independently by the UAE.

The Emirates have long been accused of bankrolling and arming the RSF, despite their continual denials. This new investigation has reignited questions about the UAE’s role in the Sudanese war and the extent to which Puntland is aware of, or consents to, its territory being used for covert military activities.